回聲 / 回声
huíshēng
The English word "echo" translates to Chinese as 回聲 / 回声 (huíshēng). If unsure, use 回聲 / 回声. Wiktionary also lists 應聲 / 应声 (yìngshēng).
Meaning: reflected sound (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 回聲 / 回声 | huíshēng |
| 應聲 / 应声 | yìngshēng |
回聲 / 回声 is the standard term used in scientific or descriptive contexts to refer to an acoustic echo, the physical phenomenon of a reflected sound.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 回聲 (huíshēng) is composed of 回 (to return/go back) and 聲 (sound/voice).
Which one should you use?
回聲 (huíshēng) refers to the physical phenomenon of a reflected sound, whereas 應聲 / 应声 (yìngshēng) is more commonly used to describe a sound that "responds" or "answers" a preceding sound.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
huíshēng
Did you know?
- The term 應聲 is frequently used in idioms to describe a sudden, synchronized reaction, such as 應聲而倒 meaning to fall over instantly upon hearing a sound.
- In certain Chinese literary contexts, the concept of an 'echo' or 'response' is used to describe a profound resonance between two people's thoughts or souls.
- While 回聲 is the technical term, the phrase 有回聲 ('there is an echo') is often used metaphorically in business or social media to describe receiving a response to a proposal or a post.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “echo” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
